If you're in China and spot a leather case emblazoned with the "IPHONE" moniker, it's probably not from Apple. But before you think "copyright infringement," the case makers are within their rights to use the name, according to a recent court ruling.

The Beijing Municipal Higher People's Court recently quashed an Apple appeal to stop Xintong Tiandi Technology from using the iPhone name, which Cupertino trademarked in 2002.

According to Forbes, Apple could not prove that "IPHONE" was a well-known name in China in 2007, when Xintong Tiandi trademarked the name in the region for a product lineup that includes leather phone cases, passport covers, and handbags.

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"Apple is disappointed the Beijing Higher People's Court chose to allow Xintong to use the IPHONE mark for leather goods when we have prevailed in several other cases against Xintong. We intend to request a retrial with the Supreme People's Court and will continue to vigorously protect our trademark rights," Apple said in a statement.

"We work hard to make the best products in the world and want to ensure our customers' experience is not compromised by companies who try to profit from using our brand," the company concluded.

The news comes shortly after Apple posted its first-ever year-over-year decline in iPhone sales, and first revenue drop in 13 years. The dip, according to The New York Times, can be attributed to weakness in areas like mainland China—Apple's second-largest market outside of the US. Tim Cook appeared on CNBC this week, where he said he "could not be more optimistic" about China's future.

Stephanie began as a PCMag reporter in May 2012. She moved to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) with a degree in journalism and mass communications.
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